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Join the ServerGern had initially planned to take Xiao Ying on a pleasant stroll, and perhaps browse for any specific materials or unique local products her clan might offer.
Yet, after a single circuit of the area, Gern found her enthusiasm waning. Having experienced bustling markets elsewhere, this one felt distinctly lacking in vibrancy.
Not only was the variety of goods sparse, but the people bustling through the stalls seemed uniformly rushed and burdened by worry.
It lacked the flourishing, vibrant atmosphere Gern had grown accustomed to at Theoviga Academy.
Xiao Ying, however, was having the time of her life. As a commoner from the lowest rung of society, she had never witnessed a market of such impressive scale.
She resembled Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, her gaze darting left and right, captivated by items she desired but too timid to voice her wishes to Gern.
Gern found Xiao Ying’s furtive glances utterly endearing and couldn’t help but smile.
“Xiao Ying, is there anything you’d like?”
“Hmm…”
Xiao Ying hesitated for a moment, then ultimately shook her head.
“Xiao Ying doesn’t want anything, Big Sister. Let’s head back. Just being able to visit this market is enough for Xiao Ying.”
Xiao Ying’s maturity was heartbreaking. Gern, feeling a pang of tenderness, gently stroked her small head and spoke softly.
“It’s alright, Xiao Ying. Whatever you wish for, Big Brother will buy it for you.”
Xiao Ying bit her lip, her gaze repeatedly darting towards a small stall ahead, a conflicted expression clouding her features.
Gern followed the young girl’s gaze, which led to a stall laden with small ornaments and trinkets.
Due to their natural scales, the Serpentman race had little need for minerals, which consequently drove up the prices of various gemstone ornaments.
To illustrate, a ruby of identical size might fetch a single silver coin in human territories, but here, it commanded a price of three.
The majority of the trinkets displayed on the small stall were exquisitely crafted from various gemstones.
Frankly, purchasing such an item here felt somewhat extravagant given the price, yet seeing the young girl’s unwavering focus, Gern decided to indulge her.
“Shopkeeper, how much are these items?”
The stall owner looked up, his gaze fixing on Gern. Noticing the opulent attire, he immediately recognized a valuable customer and became exceedingly enthusiastic.
“Esteemed sir, observe this pendant,” he began, gesturing, “crafted from volcanic crystal. I wouldn’t dream of overcharging you. If your interest is genuine, I can offer it for five silver coins.”
Upon hearing this, Gern picked up the blood-red pendant. A faint warmth emanated from it as she held it, suggesting a trace of magic resided within.
Despite its subtle enchantment, the price still seemed exorbitant.
“Shopkeeper, could you perhaps lower the price for this pendant?”
Upon hearing Gern’s words, the stall owner’s expression shifted, his appraisal of Gern changing instantly.
“This is genuine volcanic crystal!” the vendor retorted, his tone sharp. “If you’re not serious about buying, then don’t obstruct my business.”
The stall owner impatiently waved a hand, dismissing Gern as one might a bothersome fly. Typically, the nobles of the royal capital wouldn’t quibble over such a paltry sum.
There were, however, commoners and students, driven by vanity, who often attempted to masquerade as nobility. He clearly mistook Gern for one of them.
Gern was about to speak further when she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve.
“Big Sis… Big Brother, perhaps we should just head back.”
Gern looked down to see Xiao Ying discreetly tugging at her sleeve.
Xiao Ying’s gaze was resolute, as though she had arrived at a firm decision.
“It’s alright,” Gern replied with a slight, reassuring smile. ‘I’m not so destitute that I can’t afford this much.’
Gern offered a helpless smile, realizing her insistence was purely a matter of habit.
It wasn’t that she found the price genuinely expensive; within the Serpentman race, this was already considered a rather fair valuation.
“Shopkeeper, about this pendant…”
“I’ll offer six silver coins. I’ll take that pendant.”
A flicker of astonishment crossed Gern’s face as she looked up, her gaze falling upon the young woman who had just crouched beside them.
Gern’s expression immediately darkened. She looked up at the person who had so brazenly interrupted her, a hint of surprise momentarily softening her frown.
“Evelyn? What are you doing here?”
Observing Gern’s astonished expression, Evelyn’s eyes narrowed slightly, twin flames of fury seemingly igniting within them.
“Quade Turner! Oh, you’re just marvelous, aren’t you? I’ve been desperately searching for your whereabouts, yet here you are, picking out gifts with this… this little hussy.”
“Are you planning to introduce her to your family next? Are you preparing to marry her?”
The Turner family tradition dictated that their men marry into other clans, so Evelyn’s phrasing of ‘marrying Quade off’ was, in a sense, accurate.
Confronted by Evelyn’s furious outburst, Gern felt a flush of embarrassment. Subconsciously, she positioned Xiao Ying behind her, stepping forward to meet Evelyn’s wrath head-on.
“Oh, Quade, how wonderful! You haven’t even wed her yet, and you’re already protecting her so fiercely!”
Evelyn’s fists clenched tighter, her features twisting into an increasingly distorted mask of rage.
A wild, volatile energy subtly began to emanate from her. If Evelyn, a Fifth-rank Knight, were to truly unleash her power, it would undoubtedly send every Serpentman present sprawling.
Some of the bolder Serpentmen pushed through the throng, craning their necks to observe. Others, however, clung desperately to their lives, scrambling away from the crowd, terrified of being caught in the impending fallout.
The small stall owner, who had been lingering nearby, found his legs turning to jelly upon overhearing their heated exchange.
Quade Turner was infamous as a dissolute rake within the capital. While the vendor had never seen Quade’s face, his notorious reputation was certainly well-known.
He shuddered, realizing he had just treated this “plague god” with such disdain. He would likely not survive long in the royal capital now.
With these dire thoughts, the vendor frantically began sweeping the remaining goods from his stall into a sack.
Perhaps in his sheer panic, the volcanic crystal pendant was inadvertently left behind on the ground.
Neither Evelyn nor Gern noticed these details. As their confrontation intensified, Gern’s internal struggle had reached a fever pitch.
“Quade, do you have any idea how long I’ve been searching for you?”
“I’ve given so much for you, yet what have I received in return?!”
Gern remained silent, utterly at a loss for words. After all, she was not the true Quade Turner.
Evelyn seemed to exhaust herself with her accusations. She quietly approached Gern, then, unexpectedly, stumbled and began to fall towards her.
Gern was startled by Evelyn’s sudden collapse and quickly darted to the side, evading her.
Gern’s current form was merely a disguise; at her core, she was still in her Serpentwoman shape. If Evelyn were to accidentally touch her chest, the consequences would be disastrous.
Seeing Gern dodge, Evelyn’s body abruptly halted mid-air. The bitter curve of her lips slowly twisted into a sinister sneer, and her expression grew increasingly deranged.
“Quade, you like her, don’t you?”
Evelyn extended a hand, pointing accusingly at Xiao Ying, a flicker of something morbid passing through the depths of her hollow eyes.
“Quade, since you adore her so much, if I were to strip her of her skin, would you then be able to love me instead?”
As she spoke, Evelyn lunged, attempting to seize Xiao Ying. Gern’s reaction was instantaneous, intercepting Evelyn’s movement the very moment her hand began to move, placing herself firmly between them.
“Evelyn, it’s not like that, I…”
“Do you love me?”
“I…”
Gern was about to utter another word, but in the next instant, Evelyn’s voice exploded right beside her ear.
“Quade! Do you love me!”
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